Automatic car-coupling.



G. E. LILLY.

AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1915.

1,174,878. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

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G. E. LILLY.

AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED AUGJQ, 1915.

1,174,878. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

h v v y 4 Z5 THE COLUMBIA PIANOURAPH c0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

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GRANVILL E. LILLY, 0F GLEN MORGAN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALFTO J. A. LILLY, OF GLEN MORGAN, WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRANVILL E. LILLY, a citizen of the United States,res'ding at Glen Morgan, in the county of Raleigh and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Th s invention relates to automatic car couplers, and particularly tocouplers especially designed for use on mine cars and the like, ofrelatively small size.

Owing to the conditions under which mine cars are operated, it isessential that the coupling device be extremely simple and rugged inconstruction, and free from all complicated parts which might be likelyto get out of order. With this in view, I have provided a coupler fromwhich all detachable springs and pivoted parts have been eliminated, andin which the chance for breakage or derangement to a minimum.

My improved coupler is of the hook and catch type and comprises a catchformedof a single piece of spring steel securely riveted to the car.Owing to this construction there are no parts which can become lost ormisplaced.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, referenceis hadto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which,

Figure 1 is a perspective of one end of a wooden mine car equipped'withthe socket and catch member of my improved coupler; Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the end of an adjacent car havinga'pivoted hook mem-'ber adapted to cooperate with the socket and catch member shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3 IS a longitudinal vertical section showing the parts of myimproved coupler as they appear when in engagement; Fig. 4 is a planview of the continuous draw bar which I preferably employ, showing thecoupler hook connected thereto; Fig'.- 5 is a plan view of a metal carwith my improved coupler applied thereto, showing a somewhat modified.construction, and parts being in secticn; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionshowing the socket and catch member of the coupler illustrated in Fig.5; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective-view of a part of the socketmember of the coupler shown in Figs.

5 and 6.

has been reduced Referring to the drawings in detail, and partlcularlyto Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, 1 designates the body of a wooden mine car ofthe usual or any suitable construction, and 2 indicates the floor ofsuch car. As is usual, this floor projects beyond the body at each end,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to relieve the car body from thestrains incident to hauling a train of such cars, I preferably equipeach car with a continuous draw bar 3, in the nature of a flat strap ofsteel extending along the upper surface of the bottom of the car andprojecting beyond the body at each end thereof, as shown. At one end,the draw bar 3 has pivoted thereto a hook 4, provided with a bifurcatedend 5, adapted'to embrace the end of the draw bar,'the hook beingconnected to the draw bar by means of a bolt 6, extending through thedraw bar and the bifurcated end of the hook. This hook is preferablysmooth on its under surface and is provided with a beveled point 7adjacent which, on the upper side, is formed a shoulder 8, which engagesthe catch hereinafter described. The other end of the draw bar 3 isextended downwardly over the projecting end of the floor 2, as shown inFig. 3, and is preferably widened to form a smooth, flaring, inclinedsurface 9. This surface forms the bottom wall of the socket member. Thedraw bar 3 is formed with an ofi-set or shoulder 10, adjacent the innerend of the portion 9 thereof, and the object of this off-set is to actas a buffer to receive the impact of the end of the hook 4 whencoupling.

The catch which cooperates with the hook I is designated in its entiretyby the numeral 11, and consists simply of a piece of steel thinned atits middle so as to be somewhat resilient, and secured at its inner end13 to the draw bar 3, by means of screws or bolts 1 L. This hook is, inreality, nothing more than a leaf springsecured at one end to the drawbar and having its outer end flaring upwardly, as clearly shown in Fig.3. The catch is formed by a shoulder 12 cut in the lower face of suchspring member. It will thus be seen that the free end of the catchmember 11 and the extended end 9 of the draw bar form, betweenthemselves, a flaring mouth or socket having converging top and bottomwalls, such socket being adapted to receive the swinging hook I.

In order to release the catch from the hook, I preferably provide thefollowing -mechanism. A tail-piece 15 is riveted or otherwise secured tothe catch 11 and extends upwardly substantially parallel with butsomewhat spaced from the end wall of the body 1. A lug or cam 16 atransverse shaft 17 and arranged to engage the tail-piece 15. This shaft'17 isjournaled in suitable brackets 18, secured to the car body," andis provided at its ends with cranks or handles 19. It is evident thatwhen the'shaft 17 is rotated in a clockwise directicn, as viewed in Fig.3, the lug 16 will bear against the tail-piece 15 andthus lift the catch11 sufiiciently to cause the shoulder 12 thereof to disengage the hook4.

The latch and associated parts are prefera ly inclosed in a suitablehousing. This is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 and is preferably' formedof sheet metal. Ithas a top wall 20 and side walls 22, the side wallsbeing formed with valves 21 and '23, adapted to be secured to the carbody. The front edge of the wall 20 is preferably rounded, as indicatedat 20 in. Fig. 3, so as to substantially cover and conceal the latch 11.The side members 22 should also flare slightly outward. It will be seenthat these flaring side members, together with the latch 11 and inclinedend 9 of the draw bar, form a socket having a relatively large mouth,but tapering back to a comparatively small throat in which the shoulderof the catch. is

located. It is obvious, therefore,'that when the ends of two carsequipped respectively as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, arebrought together,the hook 4 will enter the mouth of the socket member and will ride alongone or more of the inclined flaring walls thereof and be thereby guidedinto engagement with the catch. Owing to this construction, it isobvious that even though the hook 4; should be somewhat too low, it Willnevertheless ride up on the inclined surface 9, while if its end is toohigh, it will ride downthe inclined surface of the catch Also, if notproperly centered, the side walls 22 of the housing'will guide the hookinto coupling position. It Will, of course, be understood that theobject of the pivot 6 is to permit the hook to swing when the cars aretaking a curve.

y In Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, I have shown how the same principles ofconstruction may be applied to steel cars such as are now in common use.With this class of cars, the continuous draw bar is not necessary andthe hook 4 ispivoted directly to the extended end 2 of the floor. Inplace of the draw bar, with its inclinedflaring end 9, I employ Copiesof this patent may be. obtained for is carried by.

'29], similar in form and function to the end 9 of the draw bar. Thismember.24: is also provided with a shoulder 30, corresponding .infunction with the shoulder 10 of the draw bar. The inner end of themember 21 is bifurcated so as to embrace the floor of the car, asindicated at 25, and may be secured in position by suitable rivets 26.The edge of the floor may be notched out to receive the member24,asindicated at 2. V

The hook 11 and associated parts are similar in construction andoperation to that above described. This hook is mounted. di-

rectly upon the member 2% and securedin prsition by means of suitablebolts orrivets 26. A suitable housing 20 is provided and is secured tothe body 1 and floor 2 in any desired manner. The same releasmgmeans areemployed as illustrated in Figs; 1 to 3.

77 a member 24 having an inclined flaring end p practical coupler forthe purpose indicated,

and it is thought that the many advantages thereof will be fullyappreciatedwithout further discussion.' i

What I claim is:

1. An automatic car 7 a hook and socket, said socket having a springcatch, adrawbar having a downwardly flaring end to form an inclined wallup which said hook may ride-into engage ment with said catch. and saiddrawbar being bent upwardly "adjacent the inner end of said inclinedwall to form a shoulder,- said shoulder, serving as a buffer to receivethe impact of the end of the hook, when coupling, and'said springcatchbeing to the drawbar just above said shoulder;v

2. An automatic .car coupler comprising a hook and catch, said catchconsisting of a leaf spring, a tail-piece secured to. said securedspring, a rock shaft, and means operated by said shaft to swing saidtail-'plece so as to release said catch from the hook. p

- 3. The combinaticn'witha car,of.a continuous draw bar extendingthrough the same, a coupler comprising catch, said catch consisting of aleaf spring secured directly to said draw bar and hava hook and ing ahook-engaging shoulder formed on the 7 lower side thereof, and saiddrawbar being extended underneath said-shoulder to form a guidewavibetweenitself and catch to re: ceive said hook. I 'In testimony whereof I-haveaffix'ed my signature. w

GRANvILL E. LILLY.

five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C.

' 90 coupler comprising 1

